Imagine this: The final week of school arrives, and a friend from the last class hands you a copy of “Watchmen” for you to read since there’s nothing else to do. Despite knowing the characters, the storyline, and even the twist ending for years, you find yourself captivated from the very first page. Before you realize it, the school day ends, and when you get home, you make popcorn and settle down to continue reading. Hours later, you finish the comic, realizing that you never even touched your popcorn. Now, “Watchmen” has become your favorite graphic novel.
It’s not universally true, but I find myself agreeing with many others when I say that reading “Watchmen” is often a captivating experience, even if you already know the story. The comic has a knack for drawing readers in and keeping them engaged until the very end. Before the movie came out and “Watchmen” gained popularity in mainstream culture, it was difficult to avoid spoilers about Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ masterpiece, but that didn’t diminish its greatness. In fact, almost every list of the best comics ever made includes “Watchmen,” and Time magazine even named it one of the greatest works of literature from the 20th century. For years, I shared this belief as well.
Initially, “Watchmen” captivated me so much that I yearned for others to savor its extraordinary narrative. Alan Moore, who seems like a sorcerer in multiple dimensions, has truly cast his most powerful spell with “Watchmen.” But as time has passed, my perception of “Watchmen” has evolved. Although my affection for it remains unwavering, I no longer believe it to be the best comic book of all time.
Watchmen Deserves Praise, but It’s Not the Greatest
1986 marked a remarkable era for comic books, particularly superhero comics. The comics scene in the early to mid-’80s was exceptionally vibrant, with a significant boost attributed to writers like Alan Moore. Moore’s work on Swamp Thing, in particular, revolutionized the mainstream comic industry. Traditional superhero stories often focused on simplistic morality plays, but Moore aimed for more depth. He used his run on Swamp Thing to explore what makes us human – a surprising topic for a monster comic – and didn’t shy away from political discussions within the book. Swamp Thing was commercially successful and received numerous accolades, inspiring other creators to follow suit. This wave of change culminated in the creation of Watchmen, a work often cited as the point where comics began to mature significantly.
Watchmen stands out as a remarkable masterpiece, with Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons utilizing their extensive understanding of comic storytelling to make Watchmen truly exceptional. What sets Watchmen apart isn’t merely its compelling narrative, but the way it is expertly told. Over time, I found that this masterful execution became the primary factor that made me question whether Watchmen was still the greatest comic of all time. The story of Watchmen leverages the medium of comics, capitalizing on both superhero tropes and sequential narrative techniques to create an extraordinary tale. Some of the most brilliant aspects of Watchmen are a direct result of Moore and Gibbons pushing the boundaries of what can be accomplished within the comic book format. A prime example of this is the fifth issue, titled “Fearful Symmetry,” where the initial panel mirrors the last, and each subsequent panel mirrors its counterpart moving forward. This intricate design is most elegantly displayed in a double-page spread featuring Ozymandias, but let’s be honest: were you aware of this before you read it?
The graphic novel “Watchmen” is organized around a nine-panel grid structure, which gives authors Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons the ability to manage the pacing of the narrative. This structure creates a rhythm that significantly impacts the way the story unfolds. Numerous subtle elements found within the book—such as flashbacks, foreshadowing, and the interwoven tale of “The Tale of the Black Freighter,” which mirrors Ozymandias’s story on a smaller scale—are unique to comic books. To fully appreciate these aspects, one needs to have a good understanding of comics and their mechanics. Otherwise, it’s merely an intricate mystery.
The issues with Watchmen stem primarily from its narrative itself. While it’s a captivating mystery and offers insightful commentary on the mid-’80s societal landscape, its unrelenting grim tone can be off-putting. As I’ve grown older, I find myself yearning for more emotional depth in my stories, which Watchmen seems to lack. Even within Alan Moore’s body of work, its impact has diminished somewhat due to this somberness. The pervasive hopelessness and coldness in Watchmen become increasingly noticeable as time goes by. It’s quite striking when compared to many of Moore’s other works, given his inherent humanism and the rich emotional resonance found in much of his writing. However, Watchmen lacks this emotional depth. Even compared to V for Vendetta, a story exploring themes of anarchy and fascism, Watchmen is a challenging read. The ending – the boy from The New Frontiersman finding Rorschach’s journal and potentially endangering global peace – continually underscores the story’s bleakness. If you appreciate this hopelessness, that’s perfectly fine, but it detracts from the overall enjoyment of Watchmen for some readers.
A notable issue with the graphic novel “Watchmen” is the influence it exerted on the comic book world and its readers. Regrettably, comic publishers misinterpreted the lesson from “Watchmen.” Instead of exploring fresh avenues to retell established narratives or delving deeper into their creative resources, they focused primarily on emulating the violence and adult themes that made “Watchmen” popular. However, maturity entails more than just graphic content; “Watchmen” recognized this, but many imitators who emerged in its wake did not. Rather than striving to replicate the depth, social commentary, and innovative use of the medium as demonstrated by “Watchmen,” comic books predominantly grew darker, often forsaking complexity. This transformation has affected comics, although not always positively.
The misinterpretation of the character of Rorschach in the comic book series Watchmen has confused some viewers. Despite being portrayed as admirable due to his black-and-white worldview, Rorschach is actually a deeply flawed and problematic character. He exhibits homophobic, sexist, and excessively violent tendencies. His simplistic perspective on the world may seem attractive, but it’s immature and lacks depth. Rorschach is a broken individual, with a tragic backstory that makes him appealing, yet his pitiful and repulsive nature often goes unnoticed by many viewers.
Rorschach and Ozymandias, while seemingly opposites, are two sides of the same coin – both are absolutists who will do whatever it takes to achieve their objectives. They stand out as the least human characters because their lives revolve solely around their missions. However, Rorschach’s complexities often elude a large portion of the audience.
Watchmen Deserves Its Plaudits, but There Is So Much More Out There
Watchmen,” without a doubt, is an extraordinary piece that holds a significant place. Its continued publication and inclusion in the top-selling DC Pocket Books series testifies to its enduring appeal. However, it’s crucial not to view it as the ultimate authority on superhero comics. In truth, “Miracleman” is considered Alan Moore’s superior work when it comes to deconstructing the superhero genre. The impact of Watchmen is immense, so much so that Moore frequently finds himself discussing it, a reminder of the pain caused by DC retaining the copyright from him. The rights dispute over Watchmen played a significant role in preventing Moore from penning mainstream superhero comics again, according to a tweet from his daughter Leah years ago. Regrettably, we missed out on “Twilight of the Superheroes,” an event comic that Moore had planned, due to the complications surrounding the ownership of Watchmen.
Many people might recommend “Watchmen” to new comic readers as the “best,” but the truth is, most novices won’t grasp its greatness because they lack the necessary understanding of the comic genre. They may not recognize what makes it so exceptional. There are numerous fantastic comics such as “All-Star Superman,” “Kingdom Come,” “The Dark Phoenix Saga,” and “Avengers: Twilight” that share similar themes as “Watchmen”, but often with more compelling narratives.
Watchmen will forever hold a significant place in my life and the comic world, its impact enduring and rightfully so. It’s an extraordinary piece of work that everyone should encounter at least once. Yet, if you’re looking to delve into more of Alan Moore’s creations, I’d recommend titles like Swamp Thing or The Nemo Trilogy. If you prefer mature comics, consider giving Saga, The Wicked + The Divine, or Preacher a try. While Watchmen is groundbreaking and deserving of recognition for its impact, there are other exceptional works worth exploring.
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2025-03-01 18:13